MYSTERY PHOTOS!
Just the other day I was thinking "Why should I sit alone, night after night, in the plush Dayton Speedway Lives! offices (high atop the beautiful DSL Building in downtown Springboro, Ohio), trying to figure out who the heck is shown in all these old photographs while the entire FODS Nation is sitting out there on their duffs? Shouldn't they help?"
Well, the answer I gave myself was "Heck yeah!" So from time to time I will post on this page a photograph that I think is terrific, despite the fact that I cannot identify any of the people in the photo, and it will be up to all of you to put names with faces and, if possible, a date. There's no prize, other than the fame that comes with knowing the answer, but maybe in this day and age that's enough.
And from time to time, I might post a photo that I've already identified to see if you can come up with the right answer, too.
Mickey
MYSTERY NUMBER SIXTEEN
It's 1962 and these twenty drivers, all regulars at Dayton Speedway, pose before beginning a 200 lap grind at Shady Bowl Speedway near DeGraf, Ohio.
I've numbered the drivers to make it easy for you to tell us who these young stock car aces are. Send me your answers and/or best guesses here.
Good luck!
Mickey
May 18, 2009
**********
Lee Raymond (j.leeraymond69@gmail.com), a Dayton Speedway Hall Of Fame inductee (Class of 2009), has offered these guesses as to the identities of our drivers: #1 - Bob Daniels, #5 - Buster Blackford (DS HOF 2009), #7 - Gene Dipple, #11 - Hank Hoerner, #12 - Bill Chambers, #14 - Briar Johnson, #15 - Carl O'Harold, #17 - Pappy Rice.
Agree? Disagree? Other guesses? Contact me here.
Thanks, Lee!
Mickey
May 29, 2009
**********
Melanie and Dick Dunlevy (luv2race11@aol.com) offer these guesses:
#1 - Bob Daniels, #5 - Buster Blackford, #6 - Neal Sceva, #8 - Jack Minnick, #9 - Whitey Freeman (?), #12 - Bill Chambers, #13 - Hank Hoerner, #14 - Chick Hale, #17 - Pappy Rice.
Jerry Wahl (jlwahl1@hotmail.com) came up with some of the same answers as Lee and Dick and Melanie, but had some additional identifications:
#2 - Ken Stansell, #3 - Dick Smith, #11 - Kenny Rupert, #18 - Bernie Coppock, #19 - Harold Stonerock (?), and # 20 - Herman Jenkins.
Gene Ingram (harleygene@comcast.net, who was at a disadvantage since his expertise is more open wheel and closer to the Hoosier State picked out Chick Hale (#14) and suggests that #10 could be Tubby Mullins based on the driver's close resemblance to the photo that we have confirmed includes Tubby. That photo is posted below the Mystery Number Sixteen photo below.
By the way, Lee Raymond (DS/HOF 2009) (j.leeraymond69@gmail.com) has studied the photo a bit more and now believes that #14 is indeed Chick Hale.
There are still a few drivers we haven't identified. Can you help? Contact me here.
Mickey
June 14, 2009
**********
See below for a newspaper clipping describing Bob Daniels' winning one of the Shady Bowl 200-lappers. (NOTE: I don't think that the race that Daniels won is the race run on the day that the Mystery Number Sixteen photo was taken. We believe that the photograph was taken in 1962 and Daniels' name appears in results listings for events run after 1962.)
This photo was taken at Sun Valley Speedway in 1965. Pictured relaxing before an event are (left to right) Bud Smith, Chick Hale, Tubby Mullins, Earl Smith, and Briar Johnson. Could Tubby be the driver shown as #10 in the Mystery Number Sixteen photo above? You decide.
(Below) This clipping was provided from the collection of Bill Chambers. Can anyone provide the date? Contact me here.
MYSTERY NUMBER FIFTEEN
This photo is from the collection of professional photographer Al Wolford. When it first crossed my desk I thought that it was just another photo of stock car racing action on Dayton's high banks. I think that's Dave Jackson in the #45, and veteran Chick Hale in the #01. And then there's the #71 Chevelle... and it was while I was looking at the #71 that I realized something was terribly amiss.
The #71 appears to been stopped dead in its tracks with some huge impact. Look at the rear tires, perhaps as much as two feet off the ground. The rear glass has shattered from the force of the whatever it was, and the front of the car looks like it was driven down into the track.
Only the fact that Chick appears to be turning down to avoid something gives any indication that something serious has happened.
Your job, FODS, will be to try to remember what it was that happened to #71. I'm guessing that a baseball-sized meteor hit #71 right on the front of the hood (I saw this once in a movie), but that's just my guess. Hopefully someone out there actually knows the answer. Contact me here and let me know.
Mickey
April 20, 2009
**********
Wow. Here it is almost a month later and my guess that a meteor has smashed down onto the hood of the #71 stopping it dead on the track is still the best (and only) guess as to what is happening in this photo. Come on, FODS! Soneone out there knows the answer. What hit the #71, or what did the #71 hit that stopped it so completely as to cause the rear glass to shatter and the rear of the car to lift into the air? Help!
Mickey
May 18, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER FOURTEEN:
Now THIS is a mystery! FODS Craig Shaw (crudbro20@yahoo.com) sent along these three photographs he shot in 1998 on or near the former Dayton Speedway property. But he's not sure what he took photos of. Here's what he reported:
Foggy: I took these shots at the Speedway site in about 1998. Having never seen a race at Dayton, I wasn't sure of the layout of the track, so I was just pointing and shooting. I notice the TV tower and the electric towers in some of my photos and some of the photos on the DSL website. One of the pictures was taken from the parking lot of the TV station. (Ch.22?) that I thought was the backstretch or turn 4 area. Can anyone out there tell me what I shot that day? Thanks.
Craig Shaw Portsmouth, Ohio
I wouldn't have normally run these photos as official mysteries, but the latest photos we have of the DS property are from 1986, and it would be nice if we could post a photo or two of the track property in 1998. Please take a look at the photos. Somewhere out there is a FODS who will be able to look at the photos, study the towers and decide where the photos were taken.
As soon as you think you know, please contact me here. Consider the photos numbered 1 through 3 starting at the top.
Mickey
April 6, 2009
**********
SOLVED!
I thought that this mystery would last forever. I mean, who would know the speedway and the surrounding ground well enough to be able to identify these photos taken 11 years ago, fully 16 years after the track ceased to exist? I'd forgotten about Scott Solem (kb8zcb@netzero.net), a FODS who is truly passionate about the track, and our own Rick Patterson (elvis334@att.net), whose ability to chase down facts is becoming the stuff of legend. I think that Scott and Rick are in near agreement, and so I consider Mystery Number Fourteen pretty much solved.
Mickey -- April 20, 2009
Here's what Scott said:
Hi Mike
The 3 shots are as follows. #1, appears to be looking south east from the pit driveway intersection with West Carrollton Soldiers Home Rd.The picture shows the high voltage line that runs west-east direction south of the 1st & 2nd turns. Also, WRGT Fox 45 tower is in the background.
Picture# 2 is tough to figure. My guess is 50 yards east of the 2nd turn marsh ( outside and below the turn) along Gettysburg Rd?.
# 3 is easy! This was the back straight, looking dead west. The TV station where this photo was taken is WRGT Fox 45. That is the stations nicely mowed back yard leading to the trees that grew out of the fill dirt that lined the outside of the backstretch wall. Also in picture # 3 is the tower for WKEF 22 located across West Carrollton Soldiers Home Rd. south west of the track Smith,1969 USAC Sprint Car& McIntire,1979 street stock both landed in that marsh~swamp outside of the 2nd corner. Hope this helps out.
Your Friend, Scott
Here's what Rick sent me:
1. At some point the new owners installed a fence around the site and built a small hill with trees (the blue line in the Google photo below)
2. They are constantly moving piles of stuff around the area. Using the landscape to judge is impossible.
3. The world has changed and there are many more towers in the area.
In two of the photos I think he was standing in what would have been a field to the south of the main parking lot. They used this lot in the late 60's. I remember parking there once and walking (what seemed like forever) to the main entrance.
I think the other photo is from below the track in the channel 45 "lawn" looking up to the track.
The red and white tower is the key (if it has not been painted yet). There is a red and white tower there today but I think it is new.
Rick
MYSTERY NUMBER THIRTEEN:
This photo from around 1980 is from the collection of Scott Solem (kb8zcb@netzero.net) and neither he nor I know anything about the driver, car owner or car. I'm betting that you can help. If you know somethng about the driver or car or car owner, please contact me here. Thanks!
Mickey
March 16, 2009
SOLVED!
FODS Garry Poindexter was first with what we think is the answer, and FODS Keith Koether arrived a few minutes later to confirm the identity of our mystery driver. Here's what they told me:
"Car #30 was driven by Mike "Mickey" Flora from Muncie, Indiana. Mickey drove my Dad's race car which was a "Super Six" car at Muncie Raceway, Anderson Speedway and Mt. Lawn Speedway. His cars were paid for by his grandmother who had received some inheritance money and just wanted to see her grandson do something he loved to do.
The most memorable night was at Mt. Lawn Speedway, when he couldn't get his "Late Model" to handle correctly. I was in the pits and he jumped in his car and told me he was going to total his car on the short turn wall.......and he did.....an unbelievable explosion and only pieces remained of the car.....he walked away.
Garry Poindexter"
**********
"……Mickey Flora out of Anderson IN. Mickey came to Dayton a few times to run with us.
Keith Koether
Former Crew Member for Don Wilbur #27 & Lee Raymond #99"
Thanks, guys! I consider Mystery Number Thirteen officially solved!
Mickey
April 6, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER TWELVE:
The year is 1976, and my partners and I are doing the advertising and PR for the speedway. We come up with a promotion that somehow involves these women (and one guy!) receiving bouquets of flowers at some point during the USAC sprint racing program. What was the promotion? Why these particular ladies (and one gent)? Good question. I sure can't remember, but I'm hoping that somewhere there's a FODS who recognizes one or more of these ladies and can tell us what the heck the point of all this was!
Send your guesses and answers to me here.
Mickey
February 23, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER ELEVEN:
Gee, this one is so easy I feel guilty even suggesting that it is a mystery. If I don't come up with a real honest-to-goodness mystery pretty soon you'll all get lazy.
So go ahead. Name the drivers in these two photographs taken in 1976 at Dayton Speedway. Give me their names in left to right order.
In the meantime, I'll be looking for a photo that I can post that will really challenge your memories!
Mickey
February 10, 2009
**********
Melanie Dunlevy (racin4theracers@aol.com) was once again the first to identify all five of our Mystery Number Eleven drivers. They are (from left to right) Joey Schear, Don Gregory, Carl Smith, Neal Sceva, and Bruce Gould.
Thanks to all of you who sent in guesses and congratulations to Melanie who was first to the finish line with all five drivers' names!
Mickey
February 23, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER TEN:
I'm still sorting through the huge collection of photographs offered to the site by Ralph Bray (there must be thousands!) and I've come across the photo below. I've been actively involved in motorsports since the mid-60's and I have never seen so much as a chihuahua in the pit area. Yet the photo below proves that someone brought a major-league kitty into the Dayton Speedway pit area. At least once.
So we need some help answering basic questions. Who brought the cat? What was the reaction? Did the cat show up regularly or just for special shows? Did the cat seem to be a Ford lion or a Chevy lion? If the owner was a driver, did anyone have the courage to challenge the cat's owner about rough driving?
So many questions, and I'm counting on you to provide the answers. Send straight answers, guesses, and smart-alecky comments to me here.
Mickey
January 24, 2009
**********
My money was on Melanie Dunlevy (racin4theracers@aol.com) to be first to the door with the answer to the Mystery Number Ten photo posted here, and I was correct. Here’s what Melanie told me about that no-kidding lion that was apparently prowling the pits at Dayton Speedway:
Hi Mike –
John Wilson, of Springfield Oh, brought the cat to the speedway during the 1979 season. She was a female named Lena. She was a curiosity, and people just accepted her being there, from at least 10 ft. away!
She was at Dayton 4 or 5 times, and even made an appearance at Winchester at least once for an overnight stay! (I'm not sure if it was a tent or RV).
She was a Chevy lion, as her playmate was a ‘57 Chevy driven by her owner, John Wilson, who went on to become the Street Stock champion in 1979 at Dayton Speedway. As for rough driving, the lion usually did the talking, although keep in mind she was a lady.
No one witnessed feeding time, but I'm sure she enjoyed an occasional red meat type sandwich!
Take care!
Melanie
Amazing! Thanks Melanie!
Literally just minutes behind Melanie was our official flagman John Potts (indybigjohn@roadrunner.com) with almost the same information on Wilson’s lion. Sorry John; the lady beat you to the finish line!
And finally Kevin Shatto (kdcrace@roadrunner.com) checked in to say that it was his dad, Dennis, who babysat the Wilson feline at Winchester while John was racing. They kept it in the Shatto motorhome! I asked if the lion had the motorhome all to itself. Nope! Kevin’s mom was in there with it!
My thanks to Melanie, John, and Kevin for helping with the story behind this photo!
Mickey
January 31, 2009
---Photo from the collection of Ralph Bray
MYSTERY NUMBER NINE:
You guys did such a good job sorting out most of the participants in the Dayton Speedway drivers' meeting (see Mystery Number Eight below) that I thought that I would toss you an easy one this time.
The driver of car number #37 enjoyed some success at Dayton Speedway. Can you name him? Send your guesses to me here.
Mickey - December 24, 2008
The pixels had scarcely dried on my monitor screen when reliable Rick Patterson (elvis334@att.net) sent in the answer to our Mystery Number Nine photograph (see it here). Since Rick is sort of the “Grissom” of CSI: Dayton Speedway, I consider him “staff” so we’ll count his answer differently than other submittals from the FODS Nation.
Brand new FODS Alan Price (fixer7526@wmconnect.com) correctly identified the driver in the Mystery Number Nine photo, and his answer arrived close on the heels of Rick’s reply. Welcome aboard, Alan!
Sue Jones (suej@siscom.net) also came up with the right answer, and was just barely beaten to the finish line by Rick and Alan. I think that this is the first time that Sue has checked in to the site, although she has been a regular and reliable Hall of Fame voter, casting her ballots at daytonspeedway@gmail.com. More about Sue in a minute.
Close behind Sue, new FODS Thomas Taylor (ttaylor14@satx.rr.com) came roaring across the finish line with the right answer.
Thomas was followed closely by two-time ARCA National Champion and Dayton Speedway champion Lee Raymond (j.leeraymond69@gmail.com), motorsports history buff Rand Thompson (no relation) (caprirand@comcast.net), and Melanie Dunlevy (racin4theracers@aol.com) a live-long racer and Dick Dunlevy, Jr’s better half. Kevin Shatto (kdcrace@roadrunner.com) trailed the rest with the correct answer by just a couple of days.
Rather than tell you the identity of the driver shown in Mystery Number Nine, I’m going to leave the mystery open for just a bit longer. For those of you who might still be struggling to identify the driver of #37, I offer this clue taken from the very thorough response from Alan Price: the driver won a major race at Winchester Speedway not long after the mystery photo was taken. Does that help?
Mickey -- January 4, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER NINE ANSWER:
It's Terry Senneker, brother of famous Bob Senneker who terrorized Middle American short tracks for many years in his #84! That "major race" that Terry won at Winchester Speedway was the prestigious Dri Power 400. Melanie Dunlevy (racin4theracers@aol.com) reminds that Terry Jr. is an active driver and not very long ago won the big Main Event race at Columbus Motor Speedway.
Congratulations to all of you who offered guesses as to the identity of the driver of #37!
Mickey
January 24, 2009
---Photo from the collection of Scott Solem
MYSTERY NUMBER EIGHT:
Here's a mystery of later vintage. This is a photo of a drivers' meeting at Dayton Speedway sometime in the late '70s. Our goal is to be able to identify each and every racer marked with a number. Take a look and if you think you know who is who, send me your guesses here. My thanks to Jerry Wahl (jlwahl1@hotmail.com) who provided the photo, but don't count on him to be able to ID every person in the scene!
Mick Miller (racinmick1122@aol.com) offers these IDs: #4 - Bobby Jacks, #5 - Dick Dunlevy, Jr., #8 - Lee Raymond, #12 - Gary Miller (?), and #23 - Owen Gifford who was a member of Mick's crew. Do you agree? Send your guesses to me here. Mickey -- November 11, 2008
Steve Carrasas (scarrasas@woh.rr.com) suggests that #8 is Bob Brandt, current owner of Shiloh Towing. Do you agree? Let me know by sending me an e-mail here. Thanks, Steve! Mickey -- November 18, 2008
Dick and Melanie Dunlevy (racin4theracers@aol.com) have sent in some identifications, including one for a guy who was so hidden that I didn't even give him a number! Here's the names, according to the Dunlevys: #3 - Paul Storer, #4 - Bobby Jacks, #5 - Dick Dunlevy, Jr., (behind Dick with no number is Bill Lewis), #6 - Russ Fitzpatrick, #7 - Roger White, #8 - Lee Raymond, #9 - Jerry Gara, #10 - Jody Gara, #12 - Gary Miller, #14 - Carl Stapleton, #17 - Sam Heckman (?), #20 - Frank Jones, #21 - Jim Lewis, Sr., #22 - Dean South, #23 - Owen Gifford, and #26 - Bill Chambers. Great job, Dick and Melanie! Thanks! Mickey -- November 24, 2008
FODS Lee Raymond (j.leeraymond69@gmail.com) offers these IDs some of which are new, some others that agree with our earlier IDs and a few that do not. #2 - Doug Bowland, #4 - Bobby Jacks, #6 - Russ Patrick, #7 - Roger White, #8 - Lee Raymond, #9 - Jerry Gara, #10 - Jody Gara, #12 - Bill Lewis, #13 - Dick Cornette, #14 - Carl Stapleton, #21 - Jim Lewis, #23 - Owen Gifford, #26 - Bill Chambers, #27 - John Riley. Thanks, Lee! Mickey -- December 3, 2008
FODS Scott A. Solem (kb8zcb@netzero.net) has identified person #1: "The guy in the lower left of this photo (person #1) is John Leach Sr. of Miami Township. He started driving at the Dayton Speedway the first year of the Midwest Modified division. I spent hundreds of hours at his garage on
Bellsburg Drive. John later owned a late model driven by Ron Lewis. They raced at Kil-Kare and Shady Bowl Speedways after Dayton closed." Thanks, Scott! Mickey -- December 11, 2008
FODS Wayne Owens (owenswayne@aol.com) says that #11 is Leonard Neer (or possibly Near) who drove a yellow #4 Laguna. Agree? Mickey -- July 29, 2009
MYSTERY NUMBER SEVEN:
OK, now this mystery isn't really much of a mystery at all. At least it shouldn't be, but then I said that about the last Mystery that absolutely no one (except for Jerry Wahl) figured out. The photo below was taken at the Oldtimers' Reunion at Winchester Speedway on September 28, 2008. It features some very well known veteran drivers, officials, and others. When you figure out who is who, send me your guesses here. Good luck! Mickey --September 29, 2008
Rick Patterson (elvis334@att.net) provided these guesses: #5 - Rollie Beale; #6 - Chick Hale; #8 - Tom Bigelow; and #14 - Mel Kenyon. Do you agree? Mickey -- October 15, 2008
Karl "Brownie" Brown (keb3389@aol.com) provided these identifications: #1 - Gary Lee; #2 - Larry Rice; #4 - Duke Cook; #5 - Rollie Beale; #6 - Chick Hale; #7 - Bob Moore; #8 - Brent Whited; #9 - Eldon Rassmussen; #11 - Steve Butler; #12 - Greg Staab; #13 - Tom Bigelow; and #14 - Mel Kenyon. Mickey -- October 19, 2008
Jerry Wahl (jlwahl1@hotmail.com) agrees with Rick and Brownie on identifying Beale and Hale, and with Brownie on Rice, Cook, Moore, Whited, Rassmussen, and Staab. But he believes that #11 is Jim Hines. We need some help, folks, sorting out the guys shown as #10 and #11, and no one has yet guessed the identity of #3. Help! Send me your answers here!
Mickey -- October 19, 2008
Gene Ingram (harleygene@comcast.net) provided the final identifications. The guys in the photo are (front row, L-R) Eldon Rassmussem, Mike Fedorcek, Jim Hines, Greg Staab, Tom Bigelow, and Mel Kenyon
(back Row L-R) Gary Lee, Larry Rice, Steve Butler, Duke Cook, Rollie Beale, Chick Hale, Bob Moore, Brett Whitted
Mickey---October 23, 2008
MYSTERY NUMBER SIX:
Here's a well known Midwest race driver who cut himself shaving. OK, that's not true, at least the part about cutting himself shaving. But he is a well known driver, hardly a mystery like the first five in this series, so I expect my e-mailbox to be jammed with at least 135 correct guesses. Get to it, gang, and send me the answer here. And I am awarding special points if you can get within 3 years of the date this photo was taken at Dayton Speedway.
Good luck! Mickey
Gee, FODS, I thought sure that someone would be able to identify this Dayton Speedway driver. He actually figured in one of the first stories I posted on this site. This is the driver who ran into the back of Chick Hale's Studebaker on a false start at the track. That accident caused Hale's gas tank to drop down and drag on the track and that, in turn, led to a spectacular fire. You can read about Chick's fire here.
In the meantime, the answer to Mystery Number Six, the identity of this driver, can be found in the photo below taken before the start of the Monza 300 event, August 3, 1958. You can read about that event here.
MYSTERY NUMBER FIVE:
Most of the visitors to Dayton Speedway Lives are guys and that's not so surprising, but I suspect that the FODS guys are going to have to get some help from their wives to make a guess in solving this mystery. The year is 1958, and Dayton Speedway is hosting a huge 300-lapper called the "Monza 300." It's a very big deal and lots of local, and perhaps national celebrities are brought in to be a part of the event. One of those celebrities (local? national? international?) is shown in this photo, but who the heck are they?
You will get exactly 10 points for naming the man on the right, and 90 points for naming the very attractive and sophisticated lady on the left.
And gang this is a real mystery. I know who the guy is, but the lady...I haven't a clue. My own wife guessed Debbie Reynolds, but I don't think that is the right answer. What do you think?
Send your answer to me here. Good luck!
Mickey
MYSTERY SOLVED!
Our Mystery Number Five has been solved by Rick Patterson's (elvis334@att.net) mom and her "Bull Riding/Hollywood Gossip of the '50s class at the YMCA." The class identified the pretty lady in the picture as Hollywood actress Rhonda Fleming who was going through a divorce in July, 1958. The somber guy who should be a lot happier sitting next to Fleming than he appears is track owner/promoter Blair Ratliff. Congratulations to Mom Patterson who gets full credit for solving the mystery.
I've posted another photo of Fleming below her Msytery pics so that you can confirm the identity. And, hey, I like the photo and would have probably posted it anyway...
Mickey
MYSTERY NUMBER FOUR:
You guys have done very well with two of the first three FODS Mysteries (I still don't know who that Mystery Number Two guy is who cleared the guardrail in a stockcar and very nearly landed at the workhouse door, but we'll find out eventually) so I thought that I would throw you all a bone...an easy, easy mystery that many of you ought to be able to solve.
Here's the picture. The question is simple: who are these guys and why are they so happy?
Send your answers to me here. Thanks!
UPDATE: Racinmick1122@aol.com and Jon Powers (jon.powers@safeauto.com) have both identified the guy on the left as the legendary Ed "Hillbilly" Duncan. Jon also thinks that the photo was taken after the "Dayton 200." Both these FODS (and all the rest who have identified Duncan) all get partial credit. We still need to know who the other guy is and precisely why they are so happy. Good hunting!
MYSTERY SOLVED! Scott "Pockets" Miller who has been lurking out there since this site was created and who, despite a vast recollection of all things having to do with local racing, had not yet checked in, finally provided the last bits of information I was looking for. Frequent FODS contributor Earl Isaacs came up with the correct answer, too, but was beaten to the finish line by a couple of days.
The two men in the photo are Ed "Hillbilly" Duncan (left) and Ben Pelphrey. They co-drove Pelphrey's car to win the very last Dayton 500 ever run at Dayton Speedway, September 25-26, 1981. Duncan has said that this was one of his biggest wins and it took him several days to recover from exhaustion and the beating he took behind the wheel. Duncan is still a fixture at Columbus Motor Speedway though no longer driving. Pelphrey's whereabouts are unknown. At the time Pephrey was a frequent visitor to Shady Bowl, Columbus Motor Speedway, and Kil-Kare Speedway near Xenia, Ohio.
If you have information regarding Ben Pelphrey who will forever grace the record books as a Dayton 500 champion, please contact me here and I will share it with the rest of the FODS. ----Mickey
--- Photo from the collection of Ralph C. Bray Jr.
MYSTERY NUMBER THREE:
As of today, May 28, 2008, I've received zero/nothing/nada/zip from any of you with answers for our Mystery Photo Number Two. You folks are going to force me back to the local library to review reel after reel of microfiche to try to find out what happened to the unlucky driver who took what must have been a heckuva ride out of the speedway.
In the meantime, here's Mystery Photo Number Three. Here's what makes it a mystery. The back of the photo says "Wally Stokes at Dayton Speedway." Gene Ingram, who supplied the photo, isn't all that certain that this is Dayton, and neither am I.
What do you think? Send me your answers here.
JUNE 4, 2008: SOLVED! Thanks to the combined efforts of our FODS I think that we have solved, for the most part, Mystery Number Three. Gene Ingram, who supplied the photo, reports that after looking at other photos he has to conclude that perhaps the photo was taken at Greenville Speedway. Steven N. Levinson guessed that the photo was from the late '40s or perhaps early '50s and determined that it couldn't have been taken at Dayton Speedway because the grandstand in the photo has a fairly flat roof, unlike Dayton's, and the guard rail in turn 4 is fairly high (higher than in other photos) and made of wood.
New FODS Jim Graybeal put the icing on the cake, as least as far as dating the photo and identifying the individuals. Here's what Jim reported:
"The picture was taken in 1948. The car in the top left was Hector's car with Bobby Grim aboard. Bobby is at the left standing. That is the first year Bobby drove the car. Also it is the first year the City of Roses #2 had a head rest and a round nose on it. It is also the first year the car had an Offy in it and it was a rare one, a 220 c.i. 8 valve motor.
The car in the front center is the Dunlap Offy but I do not know for sure who was driving . It does not look like Dayton.
Jim Graybeal"
We'll consider the this mystery solved, awaiting final confirmation from one of the FODS out there who will probably provide the exact date, starting line-up, and finishing order. Whew! you guys are good! Thanks!
---Photo from the collection of Gene Ingram
MYSTERY NUMBER TWO:
MYSTERY SOLVED!
Rick Patterson (elvis334@att.net) stumbled across the answer to this mystery in the October 13, 1952 edition of the New York Times reporting on racing accidents on the previous day, October 12, at west central Ohio race tracks, including Dayton Speedway:
"Four drivers were injured during the feature race at Dayton Speedway. The fifty-mile, 100-lap stock car race was cut to ninety-one laps because of six accidents.
Chuck Aldrich, 28, Toledo, was at St. Elizabeth's Hospital at Dayton with head cuts and possible head injuries. His car went over the north turn retaining wall.
Treated at hospitals and released for injuries received in the same race were Benton Elmot, 33, Middletown, Ohio; Bill David, 44, Harrison, Ohio, and Eddie Brandenburg, 26, Connersville, Ind.
Ed Benedict of Miamisburg, Ohio, won the race. Carl Kiser of Cincinnati was second and Gib Orr of Cuyahoga Falls third."
Here's the second mystery for FODS to chew on and try to solve. These photos were provided by FODS David King. While he was able to provide the pics he was unable to tell us when the pics were taken, though sometime in the 1930's - 1940's seems like a safe bet. Of particular interest is the car that appears to have not only crashed out of the track, but covered a remarkable distance beyond the speedway. This ought to have been a memorable accident, not only for the driver and car owner, but for everyone else that was there that day. The name on the door appears to be either "Chick Aldrich Special" or perhaps the "Chuck Aldrich Special" but we don't know if that is the name of the driver or owner or sponsor. In any event, the Special was thoroughly used up at this particular Dayton Speedway event and we would like to know more about what happened.
If you can come up with the date of the event, that will allow us to date the rest of the photos provided by David King. For now, you can see them here in the Galleries under 1930's - 1940's.
OK, gang, put on those thinking caps and come up with the details of the story behind our second mystery photo(s). Send me your answers here.
MYSTERY NUMBER ONE:
Here's the first photo that needs your help. My associates here think that the photo dates to sometime after WWII, and that most (or many) of the individuals are sprint car drivers, with some owners and mechanics included.
Just to get you started, I'll take the easy one. The gentleman standing, far left, is JOIE RAY, one of the few African-American drivers to compete on the circuit at that time. (Just in case you needed a clue, the photo was autographed by Joie.)
Alright, let's hear from you. I'm waiting patiently to find out who these 20 guys (besides Joie Ray) are! You can send your answers to me here.
Mickey
May 14, 2008
---Photo from the collection of Karl Brown
(1.) JOIE RAY (2.) QUENTIN KOHLS or COWLES (3) TOMMY MATTISON (4.) LEE WALLARD (5.) TOMMY HINNERSCHITZ (6.) CARL OTT (7.) HERB COLLINS (8.) TROY RUTTMAN (9.) RAY LYDEN (10.) JACK JOHNSON (11.) BAYLESS EVERETT (12.) REX MAYS (13.) CHICK BARBO
(A.) BILLY EARLY (B.) CURLEY BROOKS (C.) ROY PROSSER (D.) JACKIE HOLMES (E.) RED RENNER (F.) JIMMY DAYWALT (G.) MEL HANSEN (H.) JOHNNY CRONE
THE PHOTO WAS DATED 1949
MAY 19, 2008: SOLVED! Loyal FODS Gene Ingram from New Castle, Indiana, has come up with the rest of the correct answers. We know that they are correct because he got his copy of the photo along with the answers from Joie Ray himself just before Ray died. And on top of that, Gene has Gene Heeter's papers which also have the names listed. Our thanks to Gene (and Joie) for helping solve our first HELP! mystery! By the way, Gene advises that the photo shown above is actually cropped and several drivers have been cut out. To Joie's right in the front row, missing from the picture is Paul Craven. Andy Linden also is missing in this cropped photo. In the original, Linden is in the back row, farthest from Joie's left. The copy provided to Gene by Joie was dated 1949, which is approximately the date that our other FODS concluded.
MAY 15, 2008: Loyal FODS Steven N. Levinson has weighed in with some suggested identification for our mystery gang. He believes that #12 is REX MAYS, He thinks that E. is JIMMY DAYWALT, and #8 is TROY RUTTMAN. He believes that #2 could be SPIDER WEBB, and G. could be MEL HANSEN. TOMMY MATSON could be A. Finally, he points out that if the photo was taken in 1948, #10 couldn't be MANNY AYULO because Manny was running in the Pacific Coast AAA Championship series. Steven believes that the photo was not taken in 1950 or later because if it was Andy Linden, Joe James, and Gene Force should be in it. Certainly Force would have been easily recognized since he was stocky with a pencil thin moustache. In addition, Duance Carter won the championship and should have been in the picture, and Mel Hansen was seriously hurt at Salem Speedway in 1949 and thus would not have been in the photo if it had been taken in 1950, and Steven is pretty certain that G. is Mel. That narrows the date down to 1949, if #10 is Manny Ayulo and if he was running in the Midwest in 1949. If #10 is not Manny Ayulo the picture could have been taken in 1948. Even as this is typed, Steven continues his investigation though he admits the photo dates to before his time as a race fan, which really began in 1952. Steven points out that if he is correct and the photo was taken in 1948 or 1949, we ought to be looking for drivers like George Lynch, Dick Frazier, Johnny Shackleford, Emil Anders, Red Renner, Eddie Zalucki, Chick Barbo, Doc Shanebrook, Duke Dinsmore, and Bill Mackey in the line-up. Does that help any of you aspiring CSI: Dayton Speedway agents out there?
And by the way, Steven also reminded us that Lee Wallard won the Indy 500 in 1951; Johnnie Parsons won the Indy 500 in 1950. Thanks, Steven!
MAY 15, 2008: FODS George Brose was the first to provide some answers to our mystery photo. George's answers fall into two categories; those he's so sure of that he would bet his wife's inheritance on it, and WAGs (wild-ass guesses).
First, George's positive identifications: the guy in the front row, fourth from the left, wearing a striped shirt is JACKIE HOLMES. The guy standing directly behind Jackie wearing coveralls and holding what looks like his helmet under his arm is TOMMY HINNERSCHITZ. The man kneeling, front row, second from the right is JIMMY DAYWALT.
Now, George's WAGs: Second row, far right, looks like REX MAYS. The guy in the second row, fourth from the right, wearing a fedora is probably MANUEL AYULO. The driver in the second row, fifth from the right, could be TROY RUTTMAN. The man standing to the left of Hinnerschitz, fourth driver from the left in the second row, could be LEE WALLARD.
George points out that if the driver standing fourth from the left is, in fact, Lee Wallard, that would date this photo to 1949 or 1950 because Wallard was burned in a sprint car accident shortly after winning the 1950 Indy 500 and never raced again.
Well done, George! Thanks!